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Refinishing Teak

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4275 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/19/2019 : 15:10:55

I'm getting ready to sell my boat and need a quick lesson on how to refinish teak.

When I bought the boat the teak had just been redone with Cetol. It's now mostly all flaked off and the teak is for the most part weathered grey.

How do you know when it's been sanded enough to refinish with Cetol again. Do you sand until the color changes? How much?

Suggestions on sandpaper grits to use and can I use an orbital sander for the big areas that are flat?

Any other info you guys can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Association Member

GaryB
Andiamo
'89 SR/WK #5862
Kemah,TX

Edited by - GaryB on 04/19/2019 15:11:12

Peregrine
Admiral

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830 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2019 : 17:31:18

Go slow.
Get all the finish off then sand the teak evenly. IMO you can use fairly coarse paper or even the web (open grid?) sheets at around 80 then 140.
Easiest way to tell when you've done enough is with water or spit.
Wet a cloth to "damp" then rub the teak and see what it looks like.
Use a tack cloth or damp cloth to remove any wood dust.
For multiple coats lightly sand after each coat drys. I know the can says it's not necessary but the next coat will adhere better.
Find a nice radio station or playlist and have cool one nearby.

John Gisondi
Peregrine #4762

*

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2019 : 17:40:35

While Cetol makes a tough, long lasting finish, if you use teak oil or Semko instead, you�ll get a really nice finish that will last long enough to sell it. A good friend of mine swore by Semko and used it every spring. Cetol isn�t for everybody so perhaps your prospective purchasers may dislike it.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - Voyager on 04/19/2019 17:51:29

bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1736 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2019 : 17:42:18

Take it easy with the sandpaper. Get the Cetol off, but then, IMO, use a teak cleaner which requires a bronze brush or scrub brush to clean the teak. When done you can either apply teak oil or Cetol or Varnish. But don't be too aggressive!

Peter Bigelow
C-25 TR/FK #2092 Limerick
Rowayton, Ct
Port Captain: Rowayton/Norwalk/Darien CT

glivs
Admiral

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USA
822 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2019 : 19:43:31

Ditto to what's already noted. Teak is surprisingly very soft so go easy on the sanding. Teak cleaner/brightener works wonders to bring out the natural color but wet any gelcoat down before using and rinse quickly afterwards. I've used Cetol for years...its served me well, but if I ever redo the brightwork, I'd seriously consider just teak oil.

Gerry & Leslie; Malletts Bay, VT
"Great Escape" 1989 C-25 SR/WK #5972

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 04/20/2019 : 04:19:17

I agree with Bruce on using teak oil in your case. Your goal is to make it look good to sell the boat and the oil will do that at a lower cost and a lot less work.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

C25BC
Navigator

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Canada
200 Posts

Response Posted - 04/20/2019 : 08:17:07

So what's the opinions on the best way to remove old varnish without removing teak from boat in areas that are hard to get at ? Sides and bottom hand rails etc. . I started removing peeling varnish and it appears a 2 part finish was used . And areas that are not exposed to direct UV are not coming off with sanding or scraping .
Thinking a heat gun or stripping chem not a good idea .

Angus
S.V.Tempus
#4748
1984 Catalina 25 SK/SR/Trad.

C25BC
Navigator

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Canada
200 Posts

Response Posted - 04/20/2019 : 08:50:23

Angus
S.V.Tempus
#4748
1984 Catalina 25 SK/SR/Trad.

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 04/20/2019 : 10:12:45

IMHO it�s not possible to sand or strip your bright work teak without removing it. It�s too easy to mar or stain the surface if you don�t. Yes, masking tape is fine but sandpaper will cut through or stain will leak underneath.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

C25BC
Navigator

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Canada
200 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2019 : 06:53:23

I must say I agree , ill keep scotch bright on the peeling finish all summer and remove it when I pull the boat at this fall I guess .

Angus
S.V.Tempus
#4748
1984 Catalina 25 SK/SR/Trad.

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2019 : 12:50:51

An alternative to all that sanding is to take the lazy way by letting mother nature do it for you. In other words leave it alone and eventually she will remove it.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3367 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2019 : 03:24:17

I am letting the weather elements help strip the varnish but the day will come (this season) that will probably remove the rails to finish the job. My experience removing eons of varnish years off of the companionway boards was to use a stripper. I first tried one of the environmentally friendly strippers but it was fairly wimpy in removal progress. So, I then went with the toxic variety with more success. Sanding was also involved and the whole job was extremely tedious but completed. I then bleached the bare wood and used teak oil. I made a Sunbrella cover to prolong the teak oil finish and found that helped a lot - Then just used teak oil to refresh it about once every few months or so and with no deterioration excerpt the top portion where the Sunbrella cover did not fully cover. I have covers made for the rails and trim and so just need to get on with the rails project.

Gary B - say it isn't so ! Selling a cousin of my boat !

Larry
'89 Robin's Nest#5820, Potomac River/Quantico, Va
http://catalina25.homestead.com/olarryr.html

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4275 Posts

Response Posted - 04/28/2019 : 17:14:08

Thanks everyone for your input.

Went down to the boat today. Looks like the weather has done most of the work for me. The rails the hatch slides on have no finish left on them, just weathered gray. The hatch boards have almost no finish left on them and what's left is peeling pretty bad so a quick hit with the sander should take care of them.

The handrails on top of the cabin won't take too much to clean up. I can't decide if I want to sand them all down and put Cetol on them or maybe just leave them gray and let the next owner do them how they want. Don't really want to take the time to remove them and bleach them but might end up doing that anyway. Can I leave them on the boat and bleach them without damaging the gelcoat? If I remove them will they somewhat maintain the current bend they now have or will they straighten out when I remove them?

Larry - Unfortunately the cousin has to go. She hasn't been sailed in 2 years and she's only been out of the slip once about a year ago to get a bottom job and buff. Not fair to keep her to myself unused when someone else could be enjoying her.

Hopefully she'll sell quickly. Need to do some more cleaning and put her back together. The interior cushions were only a few months old when I bought her 11-1/2 years ago and have been kept in the upstairs bedroom since shortly after I bought her so they are in pristine condition.

The main and boom have been stored down below for the past 2 years and the 150 has been stored upstairs with the cushions the past 2 years as well.

Association Member

GaryB
Andiamo
'89 SR/WK #5862
Kemah,TX

Edited by - GaryB on 04/28/2019 17:19:24

Chief RA
Chief Technical Advisor

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USA
191 Posts

Response Posted - 05/05/2019 : 06:42:09

I rarely use hard finishes. I also rarely use oils sold for wood finishing. After having materials classes in college coupled with many years experience, the finest wood application is motor oil. Used or fresh it has linkage properties, viscosity, longevity that few other oils have. If you can smell it applied at all the smell will leave as it permeates the wood. Test it first to make yourself happy that it works. I oiled a cedar deck in used motor oil 15 years ago and it is still in good shape with NO curling of 2x6 planks! Reapplied oil about every other year. Chief

COMPASS ROSE C250WK
Tall Mast, Wing keel
PORT CHIEF, Bodega Bay Ca.
IE,EE,FCC lic #1890

Edited by - Chief RA on 05/05/2019 06:45:46

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 05/05/2019 : 10:06:05

Chief, that's an interesting angle, why do you think that motor oil would last so long compared to other oil-based stains and rubs?
Do you get a hard or semi-solid coating? Does it have a color that's different from say a Teak Oil or Tung Oil? Is it slick? When you walk across it with your tennis shoes on, does it track inside the house? I've stepped in the proverbial "oil slick" in the garage and that follows you everywhere... The white carpets, the white marble, the tile floors, etc.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Chief RA
Chief Technical Advisor

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USA
191 Posts

Response Posted - 05/06/2019 : 07:49:06

Bruce: will answer all queries regarding motor oil use. My use of motor oil indicates it does last much longer than other substances and never tracks nor is it slick as it soaks deep. You have no actual surface coating and color is rather neutral with new oil and with used the carbon content tints toward a mahogany color. You are not stepping in oil on these surfaces any more than you would be if you used teak oil or wood surface oils. After a day or so it is hardly on the surface at all. The last comment is motor oil is comparatively cheap and used oil is basically free! Just reoiled my tiller with motor oil. We did extensive motor oil tests/evaluations in college for my Industrial Engineering degree. Test it! Chief

COMPASS ROSE C250WK
Tall Mast, Wing keel
PORT CHIEF, Bodega Bay Ca.
IE,EE,FCC lic #1890

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